The First iPad Exit Poll: Disappointing turn-out for The new iPad at Apples Flagship Store

(March 16, 2012)

London, UK (PRWEB UK) 16 March 2012

Dynamo PR, a London-based public relations company that has carried out exit polls on all Apple iPhone and iPad launches since 2010, today provides the first exit poll on the latest Apple iPad queue at the iconic tech brands flagship Regent Street store.

As the doors first open in UK stores, want to know which version people were queuing round the block for? What they think the killer feature of the new iPad is? How many have converted from Android based tablets? Dynamo has all the data from this years queue, and has also compared the research with the two previous iPad launches: iPad in May 2010, and iPad 2 in March 2011.

Analysis is being provided by Dynamos PR team who has spent all morning quizzing members of the queue on their tech tastes to answer the all important question why have you bought The new iPad?

Q. Has peoples perception of how they will use the iPad changed over the year? A. This year, most people bought the iPad to browse the web (45%). Last year, the no. 1 reason to buy the iPad 2 was gaming (33%).

Q. How many people are in the queue for the iPad launch A. The doors opened at precisely 7:58am with 397 people in the queue. Significantly less than at the launch of the iPad 2 (632) and original iPad (451).

Q. How many people will be buying an iPad for the first time? A. 45% of the queue waited for the new iPad and had not owned a tablet before.

Q. What will be the most popular iPad in the UK? A. The Black 64GB Wi-Fi + 4G version of the iPad was the most popular version with 57% plumping for this model. The iPad 2s most popular model was the 16GB Wifi model, and for the original iPad the most popular was the 32GB Wifi model.

Q. How many people in the queue dont own a Mac? A. 63% of the queue own a PC, which 32% owning a Mac and the remaining 5% owning both. This is significantly up from previous years when 44% owned a PC in 2011, and 25% in 2010.

Q. What was the most popular phone in the queue? A. The split of phone preference has remained broadly similar over the last two years. 10% in the queue have Android gadgets with 73% owning iPhone, 3% Windows phone and the other 14% owning other brand phones such as BlackBerry.

Q. What is the average age of the iPad customer? A. The audience for the iPad was older than last years queue with the average age being 26 and 2 months old. Last year it was 24 years and 10 months old.

Q. Why did people queue at the Apple Store on Regent St.? A. People are wising up. This year only 13% wrongly assumed the iPad would just be available from the Apple Store in Regent St it is available nationwide in other retailers such as Currys, Dixons and PC World. Most queued for the atmosphere and to be there (54%), 5% missed the first round of pre-orders, 0% admitted to being die-hard Mac fans and 28% couldnt say why theyd queued.

Q. How many women were in the queue? A. The sex divide was roughly similar to last year with 12% of the queue being female. For men, the beard quotient was much higher with almost one third sporting facial hair.

The surprising difference in this years iPad launch compared to other years is the actual number of people queuing. Its significantly less than previous years. Whether that means pre-orders have been more successful, or selling in other retail stores takes some of this burden only Apple would be able to answer, commented Paul Cockerton, co-founder and director, Dynamo PR. What it definitely does show is that Apple might need to add something new to whats been a fairly predictable launch, both in terms of the fan-fair behind it and the actual product.

Q. What was the killer feature? A. Unsurprisingly, the Retina display was quoted by most people (61%) as being the killer feature for the iPad. Interestingly, almost one in four people havent had their eyes tested in the last four years raising the question, will they really appreciate the difference?

Editors notes

For full research data please contact Dynamo PR. All statistics and data in this press release are copyright Dynamo PR, who must be credited as the source.

Based in Kings Cross, London, UK, Dynamo PR is a fast growing global social, digital and consumer PR agency that has a wide range of international and UK consumer tech, mobile, social and games clients. Dynamo is focused on creative executions that achieve business results, by targeting influencers, bloggers and journalists through direct contact, digital communications, and media relations.

Launched in January 2011, the Dynamo senior management have over 30 years collective experience in running creative and effective PR and communications. Picking up a Highly Commended award in the PRWeek Awards 2011, Dynamo is the first PR agency to be nominated in the CIPR, PRWeek and PRCA awards in its first year.